This blog, written by Maria Boffey, SHRN Knowledge Exchange and External Affairs Manager, shines a light on Abbey Primary School and the thoughtful way they used their SHRN findings to open up conversations about digital life, influence and wellbeing. Their journey is a reminder that meaningful change often begins with one question and a willingness to explore it together.
Working with schools across Wales, we often talk about SHRN data as a starting point, a way to spark questions, challenge assumptions, and give schools something solid to build from. Abbey Primary’s recent digital wellbeing work really brought that to life for us.
Their case study shows how they used their own findings, but from our side, what stood out wasn’t just what they did, it was how they approached the whole process. Instead of treating their school level data as something to interpret behind closed doors, they put it straight into their learners’ hands. Seeing their own data helped shift the discussion from numbers to real experience.
What we noticed was that the school let the data prompt curiosity, rather than push them towards a fixed response. Conversations unfolded naturally, with staff and learners exploring the findings together and letting curiosity guide them. It’s a reminder that evidence informed practice doesn’t need to be complicated, it just needs space.
The school wove this work through what was already happening across the curriculum. Digital influence, online behaviour, wellbeing , sat neatly within the Health and Wellbeing AoLE and the Digital Competence Framework. The school didn’t try to reinvent itself; it strengthened what was already there.
We were also struck by the commitment to pupil voice. When schools give learners the time, trust and tools to interpret data themselves, the quality of insight transforms. Year 6 didn’t respond to what the data said , they pushed it further. They explored how algorithms shape their experiences and reflected on how digital life affects them. That blend of structured data and honest learner reflection is exactly the kind of partnership SHRN was built to support.
Perhaps the most encouraging part was seeing how the data brought everyone together. Staff, learners and families part of the same conversation. When used well, it becomes a shared language, everyone can gather around to make sense of.
As we look ahead to the 2026 SHRN survey, this journey reinforces something we’ve noticed again and again: meaningful change doesn’t come from having all the answers upfront. It comes from being willing to explore, question and adapt. When a school approaches its SHRN report as an open invitation rather than something to be judged by, you get the kind of thoughtful, learner centred work we saw here.
Their experience is a reminder that digital wellbeing isn’t just a topic, it’s a lived, evolving part of children’s lives. And when we trust learners to lead the conversation, they show us perspectives we would never have reached on our own.
You can read the full Abbey Primary School case study here.
For more examples of how SHRN data is supporting evidence‑informed practice, visit the case studies and resources pages on our website.
This guest blog, written by Lauren Copeland, a lecturer at Cardiff Metropolitan University, explores why menstrual health education matters for all young people, not just those who have periods. Lauren is working in partnership with Robyn Jackowich, Honor Young and Max R. Ashton at Cardiff University and Tabitha Dickson at Cardiff Metropolitan University. Drawing on recent research with boys and young men, Lauren looks at what they currently learn, what they want to know, and how more inclusive teaching can help reduce stigma and build understanding. She also shares plans for a larger study that will support schools to create more open and supportive conversations about menstrual well-being. This blog is of interest to SHRN readers because it brings together new evidence, young people’s perspectives, and practical insights that can help schools strengthen menstrual well-being for all learners.
What We Know
Around 1.8 billion people around the world have periods every month. Although menstruation is completely natural, it’s still surrounded by stigma, embarrassment, and misunderstanding. The NHS Wales Women’s Health Plan (2025–2035) highlights menstrual health as both a public health and equality issue, and something everyone in society needs to understand and support.
For many children and young people, periods can make school life harder. On average, 15-year-old girls miss around 3 days of school a year because of period symptoms and spend around 14 days struggling to concentrate or take part fully while at school (1). For those from low-income families or minority backgrounds, period poverty (not being able to afford period products) adds even more pressure (2).
While the Welsh Government has invested £9 million to help tackle period poverty and improve education, boys and young men are still often left out of these conversations. Teaching everyone about periods helps break down stigma, build understanding, and create more supportive schools and communities. However, many lessons still focus mainly on those who have periods, which means boys and young men often have fewer opportunities to learn about the topic in a structured way.
We also need to think about how best to teach this topic. Mixed-gender classes can help normalise the conversation,, while in other settings learners may feel a bit uncomfortable. Effective menstrual education is inclusive and sensitive, helping everyone feel respected while in other settings learners may feel a bit uncomfortable. Effective menstrual education is inclusive and sensitive, helping everyone feel respected.
What We Did – Our Previous Work in This Area:
To learn more about this issue, we ran a survey study with 155 young men and people assigned male at birth (aged 16–25) who attended school in the UK. We wanted to know what menstrual education they received, how confident they felt in their knowledge, and how this related to their attitudes toward menstruation.
How We Did It
Participants completed an online survey We asked about what they learned at school, who taught it, and how confident they felt in their knowledge about periods. We also explored their views on stigma, and attitudes about period-related policies.
What We Found 🔎
Most participants said they had some menstrual education at school, but many thought it was poor quality or unhelpful.
Those who knew more about periods were less likely to hold negative or stigmatizing views.
Learning about real experiences of menstruation, not just the biology, helped build empathy.
Some said mixed-gender classes were helpful for normalising the topic, but others said jokes or teasing in these mixed groups made learning challenging.
The most effective lessons were those that combined facts with practical period management, helping everyone understand both the science and the social impact.
Overall, the findings show that boys and young men want to learn about periods, but they need education that feels relevant, honest, and respectful. When young people lack knowledge, stigma becomes more likely to spread and shape school culture.
What We Would Like to Know
We currently lack understanding and evidence of how to address the diverse needs of girls and boys within school settings regarding menstrual health education. We need to understand what effective menstrual education looks like for boys and young men, and how to involve them in supportive, stigma‑reducing ways.
Our previous research shows that young men want to understand more about periods. They want clear, factual information about what happens during menstruation, how it affects people physically and emotionally, and how they can offer support. When period education is separated by gender, it can make menstruation feel like a topic for only one group of learners, reinforcing the idea that it isn’t something everyone should understand.
We hope our next steps will be a larger, two-phase study that will explore the best ways to include boys and young men in menstrual education. By understanding what works, we can help create more open, supportive conversations about periods in schools and communities so that everyone, regardless of gender, can play a part in ending stigma and promoting menstrual well-being. The two phases are:
Phase 1 (Scheduled to run April – July 2026)
Focus groups with secondary school learners – both those who have periods and those who don’t.
Interviews with parents and carers, caregivers, and teachers to understand what helps or makes it harder to teach about periods.
Phase 2 (Scheduled to run September -December 2026)
A large-scale survey with around 2,000 young people aged 13–16 years in schools across Wales.
Questions exploring what learners want to learn about periods, what they think boys and young men should learn, when and how learning should happen, and what barriers get in the way.
Analysis of how views differ by age, background, and family income.
Our goal is to find what parts of the school curriculum and environment can be changed to make menstrual education more inclusive for everyone. By listening to boys and young men, we can design education that help reduce embarrassment, build empathy, and support those who have periods.
Conclusion
Understanding how boys and young men learn about periods is key to creating more open, supportive school environments. Our findings highlight a clear appetite for better, more inclusive education that reduces stigma and helps all learners feel confident talking about menstrual health.
As this work develops, we hope to partner with schools and young people to explore approaches that feel practical and inclusive in real classrooms. If your school would like to receive updates, or find out about future opportunities to take part in this menstrual health research, remember to subscribe to the SHRN e-news or email lcopeland@cardiffmet.ac.uk.
1. Schoep ME, Adang EMM, Maas JWM, de Bie B, Aarts JWM, Nieboer TE. Productivity loss due to menstruation-related symptoms: A nationwide cross sectional survey among 32 748 women. Vol. 9, BMJ Open. BMJ Publishing Group; 2019.
2. Jaafar H, Ismail SY, Azzeri A. Period Poverty: A Neglected Public Health Issue. Vol. 44, Korean Journal of Family Medicine. Korean Journal of Family Medicine; 2023. p. 183–8.
In this blog, Maria Boffey, SHRN External Affairs and Knowledge Exchange Manager, reflects on our recent webinar with Professor Graham Moore, which explored why school climate plays such an important role in young people’s mental health. The session highlighted how strongly Graham’s insights echo what many schools across Wales already tell us, that climate is something lived and felt every day, not just measured on a page. This blog brings together the key webinar messages and shows how they connect with SHRN’s ongoing work to help schools understand and use their own data.
Last month we hosted a webinar with Professor Graham Moore, Director of DECIPHer at Cardiff University, who explored something that feels increasingly central to everyday school life- the climate of a school, and what it means for young people’s mental health. It was one of those sessions that landed well because it connects research with what schools are experiencing every day. Much of what he shared will feel instantly familiar to staff.
Graham talked about school climate as the ‘feel’ of a school, the relationships, routines and sense of safety that underpin everything else. He emphasised that climate isn’t something you ‘bolt on.’ It’s the everyday culture that shapes how young people experience school. It’s the sort of thing staff recognise instantly, even if they’ve never called it ‘school climate’ before. That resonated. Climate isn’t just in the data; you notice it the moment you step into a school.
What really stayed with me was this aligns with what schools across Wales already do through SHRN. Schools are constantly navigating competing pressures, but the heartbeat of our network has always been the idea that good data, trusted relationships, and support from those who understand the local context make a real difference. It was heartening hearing Graham reflect on that, and to see how his wider research perspective connects with everyday practice in Wales. It reminded me how often schools tell us that it’s the small, everyday things that matter most.
We also touched on the important role played by the WNHWPS Coordinators. They’re the people on the ground supporting schools to dig into their SHRN reports, make sense of what they’re seeing, and use those insights to plan meaningful changes. Their work helps bring the data to life and shows how it can genuinely inform real decisions in schools.
The webinar was a good reminder that school climate isn’t just something you read about in research, it’s something you see and feel in schools every day. We it see every day in classrooms, corridors, canteens and conversations. We see it in the everyday moments, the way learners are welcomed, supported, listened to.
If you’re interested in practical examples, our case studies from Cogan Primary School and Whitmore High School show how schools have used their SHRN data to strengthen relationships, improve transitions and build a more connected sense of belonging. These aren’t theoretical examples; they’re stories of schools making climate‑focused changes that genuinely support learners’ well-being.
And for secondary schools who took part in the 2025 survey, your SHRN reports will be landing this spring. Many of you will be looking closely at your own climate indicators e.g. relationships with staff, peer connections, belonging, involvement in school life. These measures can tell a powerful story over time, especially when you view them alongside your wider health and well-being priorities.
Graham’s webinar was a helpful reminder that improving well-being doesn’t always mean introducing something new. Often, it’s about strengthening what’s already part of the school’s culture: fairness, relationships, voice, and feeling safe.
We are proud to work alongside schools as they build on these foundations using their own SHRN data and insights.
If you’re interested in the wider conversation around this research, theJournal of Child Psychology and Psychiatryrecently published a commentary building on Graham’s review. It echoes many of the themes from the webinar, especially the importance of relationships, belonging and the day‑to‑day social life of a school, — and offers a helpful sociological lens on why climate matters:Where next for school climate? A commentary on Moore (2026)
By Maria Boffey, SHRN External Affairs And Knowledge Exchange Manager
In this blog, I draw on ongoing SHRN developments and recent research from Scotland and Wales that looks at how schools can use their data more meaningfully. What stood out to me in the study was how interactive dashboards can make evidence easier for staff to work with, not just in theory, but in the everyday reality of school life. In this blog, I outline the key findings and show how SHRN’s forthcoming secondary school dashboard connects directly with this emerging work.
Schools are being asked to take on an increasingly significant role in supporting learner health and well‑being. Recent policy developments make this clear: the Whole‑School Approach to Emotional and Mental Well‑being places a statutory expectation on schools to understand their learners’ needs, act on them, and monitor progress over time. At the same time, the Curriculum for Wales embeds well‑being as a core purpose, requiring schools to design learning that supports confident, healthy individuals. Alongside this, a range of national frameworks and guidance now emphasise the importance of using high‑quality data to understand local need, target support, and evidence improvement.
Although recent policies place greater expectations on schools to take a data‑informed approach to learner well‑being, this sits alongside all the work they are already doing day‑to‑day. The reality is that schools often face busy timetables, competing priorities and a growing volume of information to interpret. In this context, it isn’t always straightforward to identify where to focus energy or which areas need attention first.
A recent study from researchers in Scotland and Wales highlights something that makes that job a whole lot easier: interactive data dashboards. These tools give schools a simple, visual way to explore their own data and make decisions based on what’s actually happening in their classrooms and communities. The study found that dashboards helped staff process information more quickly and supported evidence‑informed discussions across a range of school roles. What struck me in the study was how consistently staff described dashboards as something that made data ‘usable’ rather than just ‘available’.
Why Dashboards Matter For Schools
The study found that teachers, local authority staff, and even learners see dashboards as:
Easy to interpret, reducing reliance on lengthy reports or complex spreadsheets.
Useful for planning, helping schools pinpoint priorities for health and well‑being action plans.
Useful for conversations with staff, learners, governors, parents and carers.
Supportive of cross‑curricular learning, especially in areas linked to health and well-being.
A bridge between home and school life as families can have greater understanding what children and young people are experiencing.
The study specifically notes that dashboards promote “quick information processing and effective decision‑making,” which strengthens these benefits. In other words, dashboards transform raw data into clear, actionable insight. They allow staff to quickly identify emerging trends, highlight areas of concern, and recognise strengths across the school community. By turning often dense information into simple visuals, dashboards help teachers see things they might otherwise miss in long reports. This makes analysis feel manageable, not overwhelming, which the study highlights as a key strength.
By presenting information visually, they support more confident and evidence‑informed decision‑making among school leaders and teachers.
The study also emphasises that dashboard design must be driven by school needs. SHRN is uniquely positioned to do this because of its long‑term partnership model with schools across Wales.
Coming Soon: The SHRN Secondary School Level Dashboard
A new SHRN secondary school digital dashboard is launching at the end of 2026. All network member secondary schools will be granted access to this new SHRN data dashboard, which will provide schools with the means to explore their own learner health and well-being data over multiple survey rounds. Only aggregate, school-level data will be provided, in line with SHRN’s current reporting practices, with each school only granted access to their own data.
Built as part of SHRN’s ongoing programme to improve data access for schools, the dashboard will allow schools to interrogate their results in a more flexible and interactive way than traditional hardcopy reports. Schools will be able to view anonymised results by year group andgender, making it easier to interpret patterns and plan targeted action.
What the Dashboard Will Enable Schools to Do
Once launched, the dashboard will allow secondary schools to:
Track well-being trends over time, using repeated SHRN survey data.
Identify emerging issues early, by exploring topic‑specific indicators by gender and year group
Compare their school‑level results with national patterns
Engage learners in meaningful, data‑informed conversations about their experiences and school environment, supporting a whole‑school approach to health and well-being improvement.
Enable WNHWPS Coordinators to work proactively with schools, using accessible, school‑level data to guide conversations, identify priorities, and support targeted improvement planning.
These uses map closely to what the study identified as the potential of dashboards, particularly their use in planning, pupil engagement, and cross‑sector collaboration.
What Schools Told Researchers
Teachers and LA staff said dashboards could help them:
Position well‑being as a shared, whole‑school responsibility rather than a single staff member’s task.
Strengthen partnerships across education, health and community sectors.
Bring learners and pupil voice into decision‑making in more meaningful ways.
Learners, interestingly, liked the way dashboards made well-being “visible” and “real”. They felt it helped them understand how their own experiences fit into wider patterns. This echoes the study’s finding that dashboards can support student agency by making data more accessible.
Why This Matters Right Now
With well‑being embedded as a central component of Wales’s curriculum, schools require practical, evidence‑based tools that support implementation without increasing administrative burden. Interactive dashboards offer an efficient, user‑friendly way to meet these expectations while minimising workload.
For schools that are members of SHRN, this could be the next big step: turning survey data into something interactive, tailored and immediately useful.The study underscores that dashboards serve not only as data tools but as catalysts for more coordinated and collaborative approaches to well‑being across school systems. This positions dashboards as not just a technological solution, but a strategic one.
Final Thoughts
As the study highlights, the value of interactive dashboards lies not merely in their technical functionality, but in their capacity to enable schools to make informed, evidence‑based decisions. With its well‑established partnerships and comprehensive dataset, SHRN is uniquely positioned to develop dashboards that provide meaningful, practical support to teachers, learners and families. If schools can see their own well‑being data clearly, they’re in a much stronger position to make informed decisions , and ultimately, to create environments where young people can thrive.
Sign up to the SHRN e-news to keep up with our progress , including future updates on the SHRN dashboard and ongoing work with the Public Health Wales SHRN data dashboard.
Across Wales, schools are exploring new and practical ways to bring SHRN evidence into PSE and wider health and well being learning. Using real data gives teachers a straightforward way to make lessons more grounded in what their learners are actually experiencing. This blog shares examples of how schools are connecting SHRN themes e.g. mental health, sleep, or healthy choices, with existing lesson content in meaningful and practical ways.
Ysgol Aberconwy: Using SHRN Sleep Data in Daily Learning
In Ysgol Aberconwy, teachers used their SHRN sleep data for classroom discussion and practical activities such as assemblies on circadian rhythms, discussions about screen use and sleep cycles, and a voluntary “no‑tech hour before bedtime” challenge to help learners reflect on their own habits. Some classes also trialled simple sleep‑tracking over a week, helping learners notice links between their routines, mood, concentration, and energy. These hands‑on activities were supported by whole‑school campaigns where learners designed posters and led parent and carer workshops to share practical sleep tips at home, helping the school build a consistent message about the importance of healthy sleep.
Whitmore High School: Turning Data Into Meaningful Learner Reflection
Whitmore High School offers another strong example of how SHRN data can shape meaningful learning experiences for young people. After reviewing their SHRN findings, the school identified key priorities around learner fulfilment, school connectedness, and life satisfaction. Teachers then used these insights to guide targeted, curriculum‑linked activities that helped learners reflect on their own well‑being and relationships within the school community. This included structured classroom discussions, pastoral sessions, and themed activities designed to strengthen learners’ sense of belonging and emotional resilience. By embedding SHRN insights into everyday learning, Whitmore gave pupils clear opportunities to understand the data, explore what it means for them, and contribute to positive change within their school environment.
Supporting a Whole‑School Approach
Bringing SHRN data evidence into lessons doesn’t sit in isolation. It connects naturally with wider whole‑school health priorities, especially through the WNHWPS who use the same SHRN findings to:
Identify school‑level improvement priorities
Shape well‑being action plans
Strengthen consistency between policy, practice, and learner experiences
When classrooms and school strategies draw on the same evidence, learners experience a clearer, more coherent approach and can see how their views influence decisions across the school.
Growing Confidence in Using Evidence in Education
These emerging resources represent a shift towards helping schools use well‑being data more actively, not just as something to be reported. When SHRN findings are connected with structured lesson pathways, teachers are supported to:
Deepen learner reflection
Strengthen learner voice
Offer more relevant, responsive curriculum experiences
Use evidence to inform and adapt teaching
Empower learners to make sense of their own experiences
This is about showing what’s possible when SHRN data becomes part of learning, not just part of policy.
Making the Most of Your School’s Data
Schools using this approach are encouraged to start by reviewing both their national and school‑level SHRN findings. From there, they can identify topics most relevant to their learners and choose the lessons or curriculum areas where these themes naturally arise.
There are also opportunities beyond PSE. Some schools are beginning to link SHRN data to the Mathematics and Numeracy Area of Learning and Experience, using real school data for authentic data‑handling activities that build both numeracy skills and learner engagement.
A Joined‑Up, Evidence‑Driven Pathway for Health and Well‑Being
By integrating SHRN evidence into lesson content, schools can offer learners more than information, they can provide space to reflect, ask questions, and engage actively with issues that affect them.
This approach strengthens individual lessons, but it also contributes to more reflective, inclusive, and health‑promoting schools overall. And as SHRN evolves, with developments such as the new Secondary School Data Dashboard launching in December 2026, schools will have even more opportunities to use evidence meaningfully.
In this blog, PhD student, Sophie Borgia based at DECIPHer, Cardiff University, explains how her research is uncovering health and well-being inequalities using SHRN data, and how she will be exploring what schools can do to better support transgender and gender diverse (TGD) learners in mainstream secondary schools in Wales.
Hello, I’m Sophie Borgia, a PhD student at DECIPHer, Cardiff University. I’m using SHRN’s 2021 Student Health and Well‑being Survey data to explore health inequalities experienced by transgender and gender diverse (TGD) young people in Wales. My study also looks at how school policies, practices, and everyday environments shape these outcomes. To do this, I’m combining large‑scale quantitative analysis with qualitative research involving school staff, TGD learners, and decision makers.
Why This Research Matters
Transgender and gender diverse[1] (TGD) young people can face health inequalities compared to their cisgender[2] peers. While mental health disparities are well documented, much less is known about other health outcomes, such as physical activity, substance use, and healthy eating, and the role schools play in shaping these. My research begins to address these gaps by using SHRN’s 2021 data to explore potential inequalities across a broader range of health and well-being outcomes. It also examines how secondary school contexts influence these outcomes. My work aims to provide evidence that can help schools create more inclusive and supportive environments.
However, there is limited research investigating whether TGD young people experience inequalities in other outcomes related to health and well-being, and how schools influence these.
Using SHRN Data for New Insights
Building on this evidence, my PhD study uses SHRN’s 2021 Student Health and Well-being Survey data to examine health-related inequalities experienced by TGD young people. I’m exploring whether these inequalities go beyond mental health to areas such as physical activity, substance use, and healthy eating. Alongside this, I’ll explore how secondary school policies and practices influence TGD learners’ health by speaking with school staff, TGD young people, and partners involved in health and education. The aim is to generate evidence that can help schools create more inclusive environments and reduce health inequalities. Together, this will help build a fuller picture of where inequalities exist and why.
It can be challenging for researchers to understand whether TGD young people experience differences in health-related outcomes compared to their cisgender peers. One reason is that studies often struggle to recruit a large and diverse enough sample of young people with different gender identities.
This is where SHRN data makes a difference. SHRN surveys thousands of young people across Wales every two years, and asks questions about a wide range of health and well-being outcomes. Young people can also choose to share their gender identity, which means SHRN data provides a unique opportunity to study differences in health-related outcomes between gender identity groups.
My PhD focuses on five key areas:
Mental health
Well-being
Substance use
Physical activity
Healthy eating
Using SHRN’s 2021 Student Health and Well-being Survey data, I’ve been able to compare these outcomes across young people with different gender identities.
Early findings suggest that TGD young people report reduced physical activity and poorer mental health and well-being compared to cisgender peers. I’m continuing the analysis and will share detailed results in an upcoming research paper.
How Secondary Schools can Get Involved
These patterns raise important questions: How do school environments influence health behaviours and outcomes? And what can schools do- practically and sustainably- to support TGD learners’ health and well‑being?
To answer these, I’m inviting secondary schools andpeople working in health and education to take part in the next stage of my PhD. I’ll be working with four secondary schools across Wales to recruit staff and learners.
My research will use:
Focus groups with school staff (including senior leadership, teaching and pastoral roles)
Creative focus groups with transgender, nonbinary, and gender diverse young people
Interviews with people working in education and health (e.g. Welsh government and local authority education roles, health and well-being promoting schools co-ordinators, and other public health roles related to secondary education settings)
The goal is to provide practical insights for school staff and policymakers to create more inclusive and supportive school environments for TGD learners, and to identify what’s working and what needs to change.
Looking Ahead: How Schools Can Make a Difference
SHRN’s 2021 data has given us a clearer picture of the health and well-being challenges faced by TGD young people. Next, I’ll examine how school policies and everyday practices contribute to these outcomes , and which inclusive approaches can make a measurable difference. TGD young people deserve school environments where they feel safe, seen, and supported and your insight can genuinely help make that happen.
The next stage of my PhD relies on the lived experience and professional expertise of people working directly in secondary education and health. By taking part, you’ll be helping to shape practical, realistic recommendations that schools across Wales can use to improve the health and well-being of TGD learners.
I’m looking to work with four secondary schools from across Wales to assist with recruiting staff and learners to take part.
If you work or know someone who works in a Welsh secondary school which could help with this, I’d love to hear from you. I would also be keen to speak to people working in education and health (such as Welsh government and local authority education roles, health and well-being promoting schools co-ordinators, and other public health roles related to secondary education settings)
Your perspectives and experiences are essential; they can directly influence how we understand these challenges and how we build more inclusive approaches that truly make a difference for TGD young people.
[1] TGD: Transgender and gender diverse. This term is used to describe people whose gender identity is not the same as the sex they were assigned at birth.
[2] Cisgender: Describes people whose gender identity is the same as the sex they were assigned at birth.
In summer 2025, I visited six secondary schools across Wales to explore young people’s views on school connectedness as part of developing a post-doctoral fellowship application. Over 100 pupils from Years 7–12 took part in discussion sessions. As an early career researcher, this was my first time building public involvement into a funding bid, and I learned a lot along the way. Here are a few reflections I hope might help others starting out…
You might need funding before you can apply for funding
I began with online chats with practitioners working in and with schools to help shape my initial research ideas. This was really helpful and enabled me to narrow down the scope of my proposed project. However, it became clear quite quickly that I needed to hear directly from young people in schools. To do that properly, I needed funding, at the very least to cover my travel, and ideally to offer something to schools for supporting the work.
Luckily, I was able to apply for a small grant through Cardiff University’s Ignite research culture programme, which awarded me £2,000. Without that, I’d have looked for seedcorn funding from organisations like the British Academy Early Career Network and Learned Society of Wales. Health and Care Research Wales also often have small pots available for public involvement work.
Accessing participants takes creativity and connections
The School Health Research Network (SHRN) was my first stop for support and advice. SHRN’s network includes all state-maintained secondary schools in Wales, and they helped connect me with schools willing to take part. I offered £100 to each school to support the visit and cover any staff/non-staff costs. Recruitment was also made easier because the topic aligned well with school priorities around school connectedness and pupil voice.
Working with schools was incredibly rewarding but also required flexibility. Some schools needed more lead-in time than others. Building relationships and being clear about what was involved really helped. Also consider the timing of public involvement carefully – I mainly wanted to speak to students in years 7-9 which worked well during the summer term, but it would have been tricky to access year 11 students who were either sitting exams or had already left school.
It is important to consider how you can make your sessions inclusive and accessible. Ensure activities are age-appropriate and think about how you will encourage involvement from students who are quieter or less confident – perhaps by providing opportunities to add thoughts on post it notes as well as verbally. If you’re working with diverse groups or through partner organisations, set aside funding not just for participant payments, but also for translation services and fees that help cover staff time or other support costs. These are often essential to making public involvement genuinely inclusive and feasible for those you’re asking to take part.
While ethical approval is not typically required for public involvement activities, it is essential that these activities are conducted ethically. When planning your engagement, you should carefully consider matters such as informed consent, safeguarding, and confidentiality. Seek advice if you are unsure.
I also ran online sessions with youth advisory groups from The Fostering Network and the National Centre for Mental Health. If you’re working in a particular area, it’s worth reaching out to third sector organisations to see if they already have public involvement groups you can draw on. I paid all participants £25 for an hour of their time.
Start early…it takes longer than you think!
I started writing the public involvement bid in January, submitted in February, heard back in March, recruited schools in April/May, and ran sessions in June and July. The final fellowship application was submitted in September. That’s a nine-month lead-in time. You might also find it useful to build in time for more than one session with the same group as your ideas develop.
Ask questions that help shape your bid
It’s not always obvious what to ask in public involvement sessions, especially early on when your ideas are still taking shape. I found it helpful to space out the school visits so I could reflect and adjust my focus as my bid developed.
In my fellowship application, I used the feedback from young people to justify key decisions such as why I chose a particular age group, method, or timing of data collection. For example, one key insight from the sessions was how differently young people felt about school connectedness as they moved through school. This led me to adjust the age range that I focused on in the final bid. Think about the questions you’ll need to answer in your funding application or interview and work backwards to make sure you ask contributors for input on those areas – and that you listen to them.
And finally… write the application!
Make sure you use what you’ve learned and actually write the bid. It’s good practice to let contributors know how their input shaped your application and whether it was successful. I put together a short report that was shared with the participating schools.
If I could give one piece of advice, it would be: start early and don’t be afraid to ask for help. Public involvement is a learning curve, but it’s absolutely worth the effort!
In this blog, written by Maria Boffey, SHRN Knowledge Exchange and External Affairs Manager, explores how a Monmouthshire WNHWPS school cluster is using SHRN data to drive collaborative and system-wide change. From transition planning to strategic alignment, the cluster’s approach shows what’s possible when SHRN data becomes a shared foundation for reflection, planning, and action.
The Monmouthshire WNHWPS school cluster offers a compelling example of how SHRN data can be embedded into school improvement processes to drive meaningful, collaborative change. The cluster approach demonstrates SHRN not simply as a data collection tool but as a catalyst for system-wide reflection, planning, and action.
Collaboration Starts with SHRN Data
One of the most powerful aspects of the Monmouthshire model is the way that SHRN data is used as a shared foundation for meaningful conversations in the cluster. Rather than being used in isolation, the data is regularly revisited, explored, and discussed across schools, roles, and partners. This has enabled an evidence-informed culture to take root where SHRN data is not only discussed but actively used to guide decisions at every level, from curriculum planning to community engagement.
A standout strategy is the cluster’s use of Year 6 and 7 data to shape transition planning. By focusing on this pivotal cohort, schools can spot emerging behaviours and attitudes early on. It gives insights that feed into both primary and secondary planning. Alternating SHRN data focus each year helps maintain progress across the cluster.
Building Capacity for Data-Informed Practice
This cluster has made a deliberate investment in building the confidence and capability of school ‘s health and well-being leads to interpret and apply SHRN data insights. Through regular workshops, structured reflection, collaborative planning, and ongoing dialogue, staff have developed the skills to identify trends, triangulate evidence, and align findings with their own school’s priorities. This has helped embed data-informed decision-making into everyday practice.
This hands-on approach reflects SHRN’s broader goal in helping schools become confident, capable users of evidence-based data for improvement The cluster’s use of guiding questions to interrogate SHRN reports exemplifies this shift—from passive data consumption to active data engagement.
Aligning SHRN Insights with Strategic Priorities
The integration of SHRN data into the cluster’s Monitoring, Evaluation, and Review (MER) cycles ensures that health and well-being priorities are not viewed as isolated efforts but embedded within broader school improvement frameworks. The alignment with the Curriculum for Wales, particularly the Health and Well-being AoLE, further reinforces the strategic value of this work.
Moreover, the cluster’s actions are clearly mapped to national priorities, including digital competence, learner voice, and emotional well-being. This coherence strengthens the case for SHRN as a tool that supports not only local planning but also national policy implementation.
Sustaining Impact Through Collaboration
The Monmouthshire model illustrates how collaborative structures can enhance the sustainability of data-informed initiatives. By distributing leadership, leveraging individual school strengths, and engaging external partners, the cluster has created a system where responsibility is shared, and progress is collective.
Looking Ahead
The Monmouthshire experience offers valuable learning for other regions looking to embed SHRN data into strategic planning and cross-sector collaboration. As SHRN continues to evolve, the Monmouthshire case highlights several opportunities for learning:
Strengthening family engagement through targeted communication and workshops.
Expanding the use of primary SHRN data to identify earlier intervention points.
Developing tools and templates to support replication of the cluster model in other regions.
Ultimately, the Monmouthshire cluster demonstrates what is possible when SHRN data is embedded into a culture of shared purpose, strategic planning, and inclusive practice.
Read the full case study for more insights into Monmouthshire’s approach and practical takeaways for your own setting.
School Case Study- Leveraging SHRN Data to Drive Collaborative Health and Well-being Improvements Across School Clusters: Monmouthshire Welsh Network of Health and Well-being Promoting Schools (WNHWPS)
This blog highlights how accessible health and well-being data can help the sector design targeted programmes, build partnerships, and advocate for resources, all informed by the voices of young people.
Administered every two years to secondary school learners, The SHRN Student Health and Well-being survey covers a range of topics including mental health and well-being, physical activity and nutrition, substance use, sexual health, and social relationships.
In 2024, SHRN broaden its reach by launching a national roll out with primary schools across Wales, engaging nearly half of all primary schools in the data collection process. This expansion marks a pivotal step in building a clearer picture of children’s health and well-being from an earlier age, enabling tailored and focused support for key moments such as the transition to secondary school.
While the dashboard is not yet available for primary school data, reports from this phase of the survey can be accessed hereoffering valuable insights for those working with younger children.
Over the years, SHRN has helped shape a national approach to collecting and using data in schools. It’s been vital in guiding public health and education policies, programmes, and interventions that aim to improve the lives of children and young people across Wales.
About The Public Health Wales Secondary School Children’s Health and Well-being Dashboard: SHRN Survey Data Dashboard
Users can explore trends by year group, gender, age, local authority, health board, and more – with ethnicity breakdowns coming soon. All data is anonymous and aggregated.
Putting the Dashboard to Work in Youth Work Settings
The dashboard can benefit your work by:
Gaining a better understanding of young people’s (11 – 18 years old) health and well-being trends for topics such as mental health, physical activity, dietary behaviours, social media use, school connectedness, sexual health, substance use and social relationships – helping to shape more relevant and responsive support.
Identifying emerging needs within specific communities or age groups, allowing for early intervention and more targeted programmes.
Strengthening funding applications and project planning by backing up proposals with reliable, up-to-date evidence and data.
Collaborating more effectively with schools, health professionals, and other partners by working from a shared understanding of the data.
Whether you’re designing a new project, evaluating impact, or advocating for resources, the dashboard offers a solid evidence base to guide your work and make a bigger difference.
Insights From the SHRN Data
The following highlights are drawn from a sample of SHRN data available on the dashboard. They offer a snapshot of key trends in emotional health, physical activity, and loneliness among young people in Wales. These insights help us better understand how factors such as gender and household affluence can influence well-being, and they provide a valuable starting point for further exploration and discussion.
Emotional Health
More than half of girls (54%) in Wales reported experiencing feelings of low mood, irritability, nervousness, or trouble getting to sleep, while only about one-third of boys (32%) reported the same issues.
Girls in lower affluence households (61%) were more likely to experience the above than those from higher affluence households (49%).
Physical activity and exercise
In 2023, the percentage of children living in high affluence households taking part in vigorous exercise outside of school time at least 4 times a week was 45%, whilst in low affluence households it was 32%.
Overall, there was a large gap between the percentage of boys versus girls taking part in exercise outside of school at 49% and 31% respectively.
Loneliness
In 2023, 35% of 11–16-year-olds reported feeling lonely at least some of the time during the last summer holidays. When looking at this by gender we see that girls in particular are more affected with nearly 42% of girls feeling lonely compared to 27% of boys.
Getting Started
You can access the dashboard here. Once inside, use the filters to explore topics like “School Life” or “Physical Activity and Diet.”
You can break down the data by area, year group, or other characteristics, and view results as bar or line charts. Data can also be downloaded in MS Excel format.
Top Tips
Start with one topic area that aligns with your current work.
Use the filters to explore differences by area, age or gender.
Explore single years of data or trends over time
Download charts or data to support your next funding bid or team planning session.
The Welsh Government has published a new report highlighting unmet evidence needs in the Whole School Approach to emotional and mental wellbeing. In this blog, Maria Boffey, SHRN External Affairs and Knowledge Exchange Manager, explores how SHRN’s robust, regular data is helping to address these gaps. SHRN’s surveys support schools and policymakers with evidence on pupil and staff wellbeing, equity, and impact. The report recognises SHRN as a key contributor to long-term monitoring and evaluation in primary and secondary schools in Wales.
At the School Health Research Network (SHRN), we welcome the publication of Whole school approach to emotional and mental wellbeing: unmet evidence needs by the Welsh Government. The report highlights the importance of robust, regular data to evaluate how the Whole School Approach Framework is being delivered—and, crucially, what difference it is making.
While the report acknowledges that a broad range of valuable information has already been collected, much of it has been gathered through one-off activities. To support continuous improvement, the report highlights the need for more consistent and representative data from across the school community—particularly from school staff and parents/carers.
The report identifies several key areas where further evidence is needed, including:
Engagement and communication with the whole school community.
Staff well-being and support needs.
School culture and environment.
Prioritisation and resourcing.
Partnerships with support services.
Alignment with education and health strategies.
Delivery across all education settings.
Staff experiences, wellbeing, and training needs.
This is where SHRN plays a critical role in addressing the evidence needs identified in the Welsh Government’s report. Through our regular learner and school-level surveys, SHRN provides a robust and representative source of health and wellbeing data including mental Health and Well-being; physical activity; dietary behaviours; social media use; social relationships, school connectedness; sexual health and substance use . This evidence supports schools, local authorities, and national policymakers in tracking progress, identifying gaps, and informing targeted interventions.
We also capture pupil voice and participation, helping to ensure that learners are actively involved in shaping wellbeing initiatives. Our data supports analysis of equity and inclusion, highlighting how different groups experience health and well-being provision. By linking wellbeing efforts to educational outcomes, we help demonstrate the broader impact of these initiatives. Importantly, our findings inform understanding of staff confidence and capacity to deliver wellbeing support, ensuring that professional development is aligned with the practical priorities and challenges faced in schools. Together, these contributions help build a more complete, evidence-informed picture of what’s working—and where further support is needed.
We are proud to be recognised in the report as a key contributor to the evidence base:
‘The School Health Research Network (SHRN) which is an important source of robust, regular health and wellbeing data via its learner and school-level survey’’ .
‘SHRN offers a fantastic opportunity to address the identified unmet evidence needs for both learners and school senior leaders to support improved long-term monitoring and evaluation’.
This Welsh Government report also highlights how SHRN can address these evidence gaps. Our robust, detailed, and long-term survey data is being routinely gathered from both learners in both primary and secondary settings and school senior leaders. The learner data (ages 11-16-years) are also already being integrated into the SAIL databank which provides fantastic opportunities for linkage with other education and health datasets to examine the impact of the Framework and the factors that influence these outcomes over time.
In addition, SHRN co-chairs the Health Promoting Schools Programme Board to ensure survey measures are aligned with the proposed standards for the Health and Well-being Promoting Schools programme. These standards closely align with the Framework, and this alignment ensures that SHRN data can directly support many of the unmet evidence needs identified in the report.
Looking ahead, SHRN sees further opportunities to enhance the data landscape. These include:
Undertaking a pilot of survey data collection with Pupil Referral Units (PRUs) across Wales.
Here at SHRN we believe that by working collaboratively across sectors, systems, and communities, the Whole School Approach can become a dynamic and responsive part of school life—one that evolves to meet the changing needs of learners and staff. SHRN remains fully committed to supporting this vision and to contributing to a healthier, more resilient future for all learners in Wales. Together, we can build a stronger, more supportive environment for every learner and educator in Wales.
